1992b, 1995). Actually, the criteria that I use are derived from the same

literature that others use when differentiating between true and false accusations.

However, my list of differentiating criteria is generally longer and more

exhaustive than any of the lists I have seen.

Misinformation: Dr. Gardner Supports and Is Fully Sympathetic to

the Practice of Pedophilia

Fact: There is absolutely nothing that I have ever said in any of my lectures,

or anything that I have written in any of my publications to support this

allegation. This is my position on pedophilia: I consider pedophilia to be a

form of psychiatric disturbance. Furthermore, I consider those who perpetrate

such acts to be exploiting innocent victims with little, if any, sensitivity

to the potential effects of their behavior on their child victims. Many are

psychopathic, as evidenced by their inability to project themselves into the

position of the children they have seduced, and ignore the potential future

consequences on the child of their abominable behavior.

Accordingly, we all need protection from pedophiles. Jail is certainly a

reasonable place to provide us with such protection. This is especially the

case because the vast majority of pedophiles are not going to be cured, or

even helped significantly with their problems, by psychotherapy—the assertions

of some psychotherapists notwithstanding. By adulthood the pedophilic

orientation has been deeply embedded in the brain circuitry and is not

likely to be changed by such a superficial approach as “talk therapy.” Nor is

it likely to be changed to a significant degree by conditioning techniques,

that is, “behavior modification.” It is as reasonable to believe that one could

accomplish this goal as it is to believe that one could change an adult homosexual

into a heterosexual and vice versa.

I am also in favor of Megan’s Law, which requires that communities

learn about the presence in their midst of pedophiles who have just been

released from prison. I do believe, however, that the same laws should be

applied to those who have been convicted of certain other crimes such as

rape (which in a sense is similar to pedophilia), murder, arson, and other

felonies that present formidable risks to the community. In short, I have

absolutely no sympathy for pedophiles, and the fact that I have testified in

courts of law in defense of innocent parties—who have been wrongly accused

of pedophilia—does not mean that I am in any way sympathetic to

those who actually perpetrate such a heinous crime.

Misinformation: Dr. Gardner Believes That Pedophilia Is a Good

Thing for Society

Fact: I believe that pedophilia is a bad thing for society. I do believe, however,

that pedophilia, like all other forms of atypical sexuality, is part of the

human repertoire and that all humans are born with the potential to develop

any of the forms of atypical sexuality (which are referred to as paraphilias by

DSM-IV). My acknowledgment that a form of behavior is part of the human

potential is not an endorsement of that behavior. Rape, murder, sexual sadism,

and sexual harassment are all part of the human potential. This does

not mean I sanction these abominations.

I have noted the historical fact that pedophilia has been and still continues

to be a widespread phenomenon. Unfortunately, this has been interpreted

by some to indicate that I condone the practice. This is the equivalent

that saying that those who note the ubiquity of rape and murder are thereby

condoning these atrocities.

Misinformation: Dr. Gardner Believes That Pedophiles Should Be

Granted Primary Custody of Their Children

Fact: I consider pedophilia to be a psychiatric disorder, an abominable exploitation

of children. I have never supported a pedophile in his (or her)

quest for primary child custody. Because I have testified on behalf of falsely

accused defendants, there are some who claim that I am reflexively protective

of pedophiles and sympathetic to what they do. There is absolutely

nothing in anything I have ever said or written to support this absurd allegation.

When I conclude in a custody dispute that an accused father has pedophilic

tendencies, I will advise the court to provide protection for the children.

I never have recommended primary custody for such a parent, nor can

I imagine myself ever doing so.

Misinformation: Dr. Gardner Believes That the Vast Majority of

Incestuous Sex-Abuse Accusations are False

Fact: I believe that the vast majority of incestuous sex-abuse accusations are

true. There are other categories of sex-abuse accusations, for example, accusations

against babysitters, clergy, scout masters, teachers, strangers, and

accusations in the context of child-custody disputes. Each category has its

own likelihood of being true or false. It is in the category of child-custody

disputes that I believe that the vast majority of accusations are false, and

there is support for this belief in the scientific literature. This category represents

only one of many, and although false accusations in child-custody

disputes is common practice, this category represents only a small fraction of

all groups combined. When one combines all groups, I hold that the vast

majority of sex-abuse accusations are true.

Misinformation: Dr. Gardner Believes That Everybody Has

Pedophilic Tendencies

Fact: I believe that all people are born with the potential to engage in every

kind of atypical sexual behavior known to humanity. It behooves parents

and other caretakers to suppress socially unacceptable behavior and to channel

the child’s sexual urges into socially accepted forms. This should happen in

early childhood. In our society the pedophilic potential has been suppressed

successfully for the vast majority of individuals. Those who have not experienced

such suppression become pedophiles. There have been other societies

in the history of the world that have not suppressed pedophilic tendencies.

The fact that such suppression has not taken place is a fact of history.

This does not mean that I suggest that we emulate such societies or that I

approve of pedophilia. Human sacrifice has been widespread in many societies

in the history of the world. This also is a fact of history. To state this fact

does not mean that I approve of the practice. The suppression of primitive

impulses is necessary for the existence of a civilized society. Abba Eban, a

former Israeli Ambassador to the United States, put it well: “Man becomes

civilized when his animal impulses are tamed, subdued, and transcended by

his social nature.”

Misinformation: Gardner Believes that Judges, Lawyers, Juries, and

Evaluators Who Involve Themselves in Sex-Abuse Lawsuits Become

Sexually “Turned On” in the Course of the Litigation

Fact: As the media well knows, sex and violence attract attention. People are

more likely to read about these issues than less “interesting” topics. To deny

prurient interests is to deny reality. This does not mean that I believe that

people are sitting in the courtroom in a state of high sexual excitation while

the trial is going on. What I am saying is that those in the courtroom are as

Misinformation Versus Facts About Richard Gardner 409

likely to be extra-attentive to sex and violence as those outside the courtroom.

Misinformation: Dr. Gardner Is in Strong Support of the North

American Man/Boy Love Association (NAMBLA)

Fact: I have never been a member of this organization, and I am opposed to

its primary principles. Adult men who have sex with boys are exploiting

them, corrupting them, and contributing to the development of sexual psychopathology

in them. NAMBLA’s position is that if the child consents, then

the pedophilic act is acceptable and even desirable. This is a rationalization

for depravity. Children can be seduced into consenting to anything, including

murder. Society needs to protect itself from those who would exploit our

children. Jail is one reasonable place to provide such protection.

Accurate Perception: Dr. Gardner Believes That Society, Especially

Our Penal System, Treats Adults Who Have Sex With Children too

Harshly

Fact: This is true. However, the implication here is that I would never jail

pedophiles or punish them in any way. This is not true. I believe that most

pedophiles are incurable and that we must protect ourselves and our children

from them. Accordingly, jail is an excellent place to put them. I believe,

however, that pedophiles are treated differently, and much more harshly,

than other criminals. I have no hesitation referring to a pedophile as a criminal,

even though there is a DSM-IV diagnosis for pedophilic behavior. Most

states now have Megan’s Laws, laws that require local police to notify people

in the community that a recently jailed pedophile is living in their midst.

Notices are placed in police stations, post offices, and other places. There

are no Megan’s Laws for murderers. There are no Megan’s Laws for rapists.

There are no Megan’s Laws for arsonists or for any other crime. There are

only Megan’s Laws for sex abusers. This is what I am referring to when I say

that society treats sex abusers more harshly than people who have perpetrated

other crimes.

Furthermore, when people who have committed all the other crimes,

other than sex abuse, have served their sentences, the law requires that the

person must be released from jail by prison authorities. This is not the case

for child sex abusers. They can be kept in jail beyond their sentences and I

have seen cases in which this has happened. Usually they are required to go

into treatment until they are “cured.” If the alleged abuser insists that he

(she) never perpetrated any sex crimes at all, and has been falsely incarcerated,

then the person may remain in jail indefinitely. This is what I am

referring to when I say that society treats sex abusers much more harshly

than people who have committed other crimes.

Misinformation: Dr. Gardner’s Work Has Contributed to Sex-Abuse

Hysteria in This Country

Fact: This criticism credits me with the power to create a national hysteria

that did not exist before my publications. Describing a phenomenon does

not mean that I created it. My book Sex Abuse Hysteria: Salem Witch Trials

Revisited was published in 1991 (Gardner, 1991a), at least six or seven years

after the hysteria began. (The reader may recall that the McMartin accusations

surfaced in 1983 and the Kelly Michaels accusations in 1988.) Obviously,

the sex-abuse hysteria phenomenon was well under way before the

publication of that book. In a sense, this criticism flatters me because it gives

me a power way beyond what I actually have.

Misinformation: Gardner Is Responsible for Judges All Over the

United States and Canada Disbelieving Mothers Claiming That Their

Children Were Sexually Abused by Their Husbands. As a Result

Children Are Not Being Protected From Their Pedophilic Fathers

Fact: Again, this implies that I, a single person, could have such an enormous

influence over the judiciary over a whole continent. The alternative explanation, namely, that my contributions have brought to light the abomination of false sex-abuse accusations is not acknowledged by those who promulgate this myth.

Unjustifiable Criticisms: Gardner Reflexively Considers a Sex-

Abuse Accusation False and Does Not Give Proper Attention to True

Sex-Abuse Accusations

Fact: This criticism is ludicrous and cannot be supported by any of my

publications on sex abuse. In each of my books on differentiating between

true and false sex-abuse accusations (the reader will please note the title), I

describe in detail the clinical manifestations when the accusation is true and

the clinical manifestations when the accusation is false (Gardner, 1987, 1992a,

1995). Although I have written that the vast majority of sex-abuse accusations

that arise as a spin-off of the PAS are false, I have also written that the

vast majority of sex-abuse accusations that arise in the context of the intact

families are more likely to be true. I have also written that the vast majority

of accusations in the context of babysitting accusations, coach accusations,

clergy accusations, and scout accusations are more likely to be true.

Misinformation Versus Facts About Richard Gardner 411

CHILD-CUSTODY EVALUATIONS

Misinformation: Dr. Gardner’s Custody Evaluations Do Not Follow

the Guidelines Delineated by the American Psychological

Association

Fact: My child-custody evaluative procedures follow every one of these guidelines.

Those who promulgate this myth do not say specifically what in these guidelines is not subscribed to by my child-custody evaluative procedures. In fact, my publications describing my procedures have been cited in the 1994 American Psychological Association’s Guidelines for Child Custody Evaluation in Divorce Proceedings. The Guidelines cite my book, Family Evaluation in Child Custody Mediation, Arbitration, and Litigation (Gardner, 1989), the first edition of my book on the parental alienation syndrome (Gardner, 1992a), as well as my volume True and False Accusations of Child Sex Abuse (Gardner, 1992b). There is no other author on that list who has three citations.

Misinformation: Dr. Gardner Has Been Barred From Testimony in

Many Courts of Law Throughout the United States

Fact: This is pure myth. To date I have testified directly in approximately 30

states and in others via telephone. I have been testifying since 1960. Not

once has a court of law ruled that I was not qualified to testify as an expert.

Misinformation: Dr. Gardner Is a Hired Gun

Fact: When I agree to involve myself in a custody litigation there is a three step

process that each prospective client must take. First, every attempt must be made to involve me as the court’s independent examiner. If this fails Imay be willing, after some exploration of the case, to be recognized as the inviting party’s expert, but I make no promises beforehand that I will support that party’s position. I require the inviting party to sign a document in which he (she) agrees to pay my fees, and even for my testimony, if I ultimately decide that the opposing party warrants my support. There have been cases when in the course of my evaluation I have concluded that the opposing party’s position is the more compelling one, and I have ultimately testified on that party’s behalf. A copy of this document is to be found in the addendum of my book, The Parental Alienation Syndrome, Second Edition

(Gardner, 1998).

Misinformation: Dr. Gardner Testifies Predominantly in Support of men

Fact: There is absolutely no basis for this myth. I have testified on behalf of

women who have been victimized by PAS-inducing husbands, and I have

testified on behalf of men whose wives are PAS inducers. In fact, in the last

few years, the number of PAS-inducing men against whom I have testified

has increased formidably, to the point where I see the ratio now to be about

50/50.

PERSONAL (AD HOMINEM) ATTACKS

Misinformation: Dr. Richard Gardner Is Biased Against Women

Fact: This cannot be reasonably substantiated by anything I have ever written,

lectured on, or testified to in a court of law. With regard to the alleged

gender bias associated with the parental alienation syndrome, the facts are

that I will generally recommend that PAS-inducing mothers in both the mild

and moderate categories retain primary custody. When PAS is severe, or

rapidly approaching the severe level, and the mother is the primary promulgator,

then I recommend a change of custody. But this represents only a

small percentage of cases. And these are exactly the recommendations I

make in my book Therapeutic Interventions for Children with Parental Alienation

Syndrome (Gardner, 2001).Furthermore, as fathers are now increasingly indoctrinating PAS in their children I find myself testifying even more frequently in support of women

who have been victimized by their husbands’ inducing PAS in their children.

Misinformation: Dr. Gardner Is an Advocate for Men’s Rights Groups

Fact: I have never been a member of any Men’s Rights Groups. In fact, I

have never been a member of any advocacy group whatsoever. Many men

in men’s rights groups are very pleased with me because I played an important

role in bringing to public attention the false sex-abuse accusation in the

context of child-custody disputes and have testified in support of innocent

men in this category. However, in the same groups are many men who are

critical of me because they claim I do not frequently enough recommend

custodial change for mothers who have induced mild and moderate levels of

PAS in their children. As mentioned, I generally reserve such a recommendation

for the relatively small percentage of mothers who have produced very

formidable levels of moderate PAS and/or severe levels of PAS.

Misinformation: Dr. Gardner Claims That He Is a Clinical Professor

of Child Psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians and

Surgeons, Yet He Does Very Little Teaching There

Fact: The implication of this statement is that I am somehow misrepresenting

myself. I have been on the faculty of the Columbia Medical School since

1963. In earlier years I did more teaching than I have in recent years, but

such reduction in teaching obligations is common for senior medical school

faculty members. More importantly, people who do significant research and

writing generally do far less teaching. This has been my position.

When I was promoted to the rank of full professor in 1983, I was the

first person in the history of Columbia’s Child Psychiatry department to achieve

that rank who was primarily in private practice (rather than full-time faculty).

I had to satisfy all the same requirements necessary for the promotion of fulltime

academicians. And this was also true when I was promoted to the

associate professorial rank some years previously.

Misinformation: Dr. Gardner’s Publications Are Not Peer Reviewed

Fact: I have published approximately 150 articles of which approximately 85

have been in peer-review journals.

Misinformation: Dr. Gardner Has His Own Publishing Company,

Creative Therapeutics, Inc., and Publishes All His Books Through

His Own Company

Fact: I do own Creative Therapeutics, Inc., and since 1978 I have published

most (but not all) of my books through Creative Therapeutics. The implication

is that Creative Therapeutics is some kind of vanity press and that if not

for it, I could not find publishers for my books. The facts are that between

1960 and 1983 I published books with the following other publishers: 4—

Parental Alienation Support

This page is to provide support by offering resources and references in regard to parental alienation. It is provided with the understanding that the blog is not providing any legal, mental health, or other professional service. The information is not designed to replace the services of a qualified mental health professional or attorney. This page does not represent the opinion of any professional organization. As a caveat, nothing on this site should be construed as offering professional or therapeutic recommendations. Comments posted on this page do not reflect the opinion of the author.

Ideal Professional Approach and Parental Alienation

Working in an emerging area of practice requires a delicate balance of courage and caution—courage to pursue new paths, caution to ensure the well-being of those we serve. This balance is expressed through the virtue of “humbition:” a fusion of humility and ambition (Warshak, 2002, 2007). Applied to the field of healing disrupted parent-child relationships, humbition allows social scientists and practitioners to balance an ambitious application, extrapolation, and expansion of available knowledge, experience, materials, and procedures with an acceptance of realistic limits to our ability to help parents and children manage the dynamics of alienation. (Warshak & Otis, 2010).

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Texas Premier Counseling Services

Texas Premier Counseling Services

Monika Logan is a licensed professional counselor living in Dallas, Texas who specializes in troubled parent-child relationships and sexual behavior problems. In addition to maintaining a private practice, she created a program to help youth in the criminal justice system maintain boundaries both offline and online and stay connected with their families.